Digestive enzymes are important for your body because they are responsible for releasing the energizing potential that your food delivers. Essentially, they help your body break down food so that you can absorb the necessary nutrients. Digestive enzymes may be added to your diet as a supplement but there are also natural ways to increase your enzyme intake through food.  

| Related: The Importance of a Plant-Based Digestive Enzyme Supplement |

Your digestive system relies on the enzymes that are naturally produced in your body. A lack of enzymes can cause any number of complications ranging from bloating to chronic malnutrition. As we get older, our levels of digestive enzymes gradually decrease. Fortunately, there are raw plant-based foods that are rich in enzymes.  

What are Enzymes?

Digestive enzymes include those produced by the pancreas, stomach, liver, as well as present in saliva. They are responsible for breaking down food and helping to clean out the body. Metabolic enzymes are those produced in the body as needed.

These enzymes are responsible for building tissue, transferring compounds between molecules, and oxidizing and reducing things. Food enzymes are found naturally in raw food sources. Digestive enzyme supplements are sourced from animals, plants, fungi or bacteria.

Maximize Intake

Cooking destroys food-based enzymes, which means your body needs to produce the enzymes needed for digestion. This uses up a great deal of energy and over time, your enzyme-producing glands become worn out. This results in a poorly functioning digestive process.

The more enzymes you take, the more nutrients you can access. To stay healthy and even feel younger, you need to actively seek out food and plant-based enzymes to support your body rather than taxing your body.

Taking Enzymes

It is possible to improve your digestion and metabolism by taking enzymes as a supplement. You are better able to process food more efficiently and access more nutrients, giving the body the fuel it needs to run better. The enhanced digestion produces more energy for your body and increased energy means no more fatigue, improved metabolism, and better overall function.

Enzyme supplements help to keep pathogenic materials to a minimum. By helping the body to break down food and clean out harmful materials, your metabolism and immune system can focus on other areas of the body.

| Related: 11 Foods Rich In Gut-Supporting Digestive Enzymes |

Supplemental enzymes are more efficient when taken with meals. Avoid taking them on an empty stomach. If you have been experiencing an upset stomach and bloating, you will see results right away.

For bowel movement issues, results will be seen after a week or two. Either way, once your enzyme levels are back to normal, you will start to feel better and can get back to keeping fit and healthy.

Enzyme Energy

The total amount of energy in your body is impacted by enzymes in two different ways. Firstly, your body is able to extract the maximum amount of nutrition from the foods you consume. Getting the most from your food sources ensures all your body systems get the energy required for optimal function.  

Secondly, because you don't need to waste energy producing enzymes for digestion, you can conserve that energy for other things. When you eat a large meal, your body has to take time to process it and you feel less energetic.

This is not because of the food, but rather because all your body's energy is devoted to breaking up that meal. Just think of how much energy you would have if your enzyme levels were optimal and did most of the digestive work for you.  

Finally, enzymes support the body in detoxification processes. As enzymes move through the body, they consume toxins and other pathogenic materials. Toxins not only expose us to dangerous infections but tend to slow systems down because they require a great deal of energy to expel them

With enzymes cruising through and picking these materials up, your body has more energy. Once your body is rid of toxins, you feel better, younger and more energized.

Enzymes and Exercise

Enzymes play a critical role in the digestive process. Exercise has been proven to benefit digestion too. Exercise increases blood flow to every part of your body, including the digestive tract. This means that with regular exercise, your digestion will never slow down. Faster processing means nutrients are absorbed faster and toxic waste is removed more efficiently.  

Enzymes provide energy and are able to take care of our digestion so the body can save energy for other processes or for exercise. What you end up with is a healthy cycle with enzymes providing energy for exercise and exercise improving digestion.

If you find that you are often lethargic and have no energy to exercise, you may have low enzymatic levels. Try a supplement for a few weeks to get a nice kickstart. You will feel better as your digestive process heals and becomes more efficient. With less energy spent trying to heal a damaged gut, you will have all the energy you need for that jog.  

The Bottom Line

Given that the definition of an enzyme is an energized protein molecule that acts as a catalyst for life forces, it is understandable how digestive enzymes benefit your exercise routine. Without sufficient enzymes, we would be very sluggish, without enough energy to exercise.

Lack of exercise just slows the body down even further. By addressing your enzyme levels, you will access nutrients from your food, which will provide you with energy for a workout. Enzymes and your workout will work hand-in-hand to get you back in shape.

Read Next >>> From Mouth to Colon: The Journey of Digestive Enzymes

Sources

1. http://thriveforward.com/lesson/digestive-enzymes-for-maximum-energy/#.WXkyJITyuUk

2. http://www.enzymestuff.com/discussionenergy.htm

3. https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/cell2.htm